Eve of war II.

Once upon a time, there was a great kingdom with a rich historical past. However, it was eventually destroyed when invaders ransacked it, leading to the kingdom's downfall.

Karna woke up with a start, his face drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, but unable to comprehend why. Startled by his abrupt awakening, Shizue also opened her eyes, her expression mirroring her surprise as she looked at Karna.

"Dear, what happened?" Her melodious voice reached his ears, providing him with some comfort.

"Today marks the beginning of war, and I can't help but feel that something is seriously fishy," Karna confessed. "They would never declare war on a kingdom with two heroes as its rulers without some hidden trump card up their sleeve."

Observing her husband's evident paranoia about a potential hidden threat, Shizue couldn't help but share his concerns. Yet, they had the strength to overcome anything that Farmus might throw at them.

The barrier operated continuously with minimal energy consumption, drawing most of its power from the surrounding atmosphere. With their people protected, there was no need to hold back against the incoming army.

Facing an army of 70,000 was no small matter, but to them, it almost seemed like a comical exaggeration, given their power to reshape the continent beneath their feet. Even though it didn't mean that they would use their full power.

Standing up and walking to the balcony as his robes materialized on his body, he gazed out at his people as they carried on with their lives, placing their trust in their rulers.

"You look cute when you're worried," his beloved wife and partner, Shizue, said as she walked over and took her place beside him. "By tonight, the army will be here. I don't know what they have planned, but be cautious," he advised her, his hand resting on top of hers.

"Yes, I will. They'll likely attempt to separate us and then target us individually," she replied with a small smile, confident in their ability to overcome any challenge.

"Waiting for them won't change anything," he muttered before they both vanished from the balcony in a golden, glittering dust.

★

Location: Dwargon – The palace of the Dwarven king.

"So, you delivered the information to him?" In a dimly lit room, a gruff voice inquired as a shadowy figure knelt before a grand throne.

Seated upon it was a tall man wearing armor and a crown, the Hero King Gazel Dwargo. He was celebrated as a wise king known for his impartial rule. Gazel had a beard and tanned skin, and his presence exuded a commanding aura. However, the shadow before him was no ordinary individual, and the faint aura did not affect her.

"Actually, it would not be accurate to say that I gave him the information; rather, it was more like he extracted it from me," the personal spy of King Gazel explained while keeping her gaze fixed on the ground.

"I see. Interfering with thought communication... What a cunning man he is," Gazel mused to himself, realizing that the new rulers and the kingdom of Anga were not mere empty talk.

He never had the opportunity to meet the heroes of the century when they visited his country. Now, however, they ruled a kingdom like himself, and he was eager to meet them in person.

"After the war, I will need to personally assess their threat level. If I recall correctly, the Kingdom of Farmus is dispatching an army of 70,000 troops to Anga, isn't that right?" Gazel inquired as he rested his cheek on his curled fist, his hand on the throne handle.

"Yes, your memory is correct, my king. But I believe Anga is likely to be safer than we might think. The Hero King and his queen have established a holy barrier encompassing the entire kingdom." The spy shared this new information with her king, and it had shocked her to the core when she saw the barrier for herself. Not many people can set up such a large-scale holy barrier.

She noticed that her king didn't seem greatly affected by the new piece of information, but what she didn't know was that he had used his unique skill to read her surface thoughts before she could even provide him with the news. As a result, he was prepared for the information and didn't display his shock on his face.

"Hm, I see. You can go now," Gazel said as the elf vanished into the shadows. He looked at his hand and clenched his fist, feeling the weight of the situation. Another dangerous entity that could potentially destroy the world. He had placed Karna and Shizue on a pedestal, a level of power that only True Dragons occupied in his mind.

He was sure now, the kingdom of Farmus would regret their actions and might even face annihilation. However, he couldn't be certain, as he had heard that the heroes were kind people. His doubts about whether they would destroy an entire kingdom were justified.

"Anyway, this will be the start of a new empire," he muttered with a serious expression. He had seen the Eastern Empire attempting to enter the Jura Forest before the Storm Dragon Veldora was sealed there. Now, they would have a brand new deterrent if the Kingdom of Anga won this war and became the Great Empire of Anga.

★

Sitting on the throne were the Hero King Karna and his wife, Heroine Shizue. In front of them were some of the most important executives of the kingdom.

"It appears that all of you are in attendance for today's meeting," Karna said as he sat on the throne, which was placed on an elevated floor from the rest of the throne room. As the king and queen shall look down on everyone, but no one should look down at the rulers.

To either side of the room, chairs for the executives were laid out. They normally didn't have chairs for any of the executives except for Tetris and Hinata, but due to the situation, at least the executives needed to be informed that the kingdom was already at war, even though only Karna and Shizue would face the army.

"You may take your seats. We have an important matter to discuss," she said, granting them permission to sit down at their designated positions and taking the lead in initiating the meeting.

Addressing the gathered executives, Shizue made a solemn announcement, "The reason we've summoned you here today is to inform you that the kingdom of Farmus has declared war on us without prior notice or communication."

A sense of shock and concern rippled through the room, evident on the faces of those present. Hinata, however, remained composed and collected, recognizing that her strength far exceeded that of the average soldiers in an army.

Despite the shock they experienced, the assembled executives maintained their silence and respectful demeanor, showing their unwavering loyalty to Karna and Shizue. It had only been a month since the Hero King and Queen ascended to the throne, but the kingdom had already seen remarkable progress and improvement under their rule.

"We have decided to end this war before it reaches our kingdom and defeat the Kingdom of Farmus. After that, we will take their nation as our vassal state, laying the foundation for our new empire. By doing so, we aim to provide peace and security to neighboring nations," Karna announced their intentions. "Only we will engage in the battle; we do not want our soldiers to lose their lives in this meaningless war."

Karna's announcement of their intention to end the war before it reached their kingdom and to defeat the Kingdom of Farmus, subsequently establishing it as a vassal state, received nods and approval from the executives. Their decision to protect their soldiers from a meaningless war resonated with the assembly.

"Wait a moment, my king," Hinata's voice rang out as she stood up respectfully. After receiving an approving nod of permission to speak, she continued, "We understand that your majesty and my queen are immensely more powerful than anyone in this nation, but we don't want you to bear the burdens of all of us."

"Hinata," whispered Shizue with a small smile on her face. "We understand that, and you will have your time to contribute to the nation's growth. Everyone will have their opportunities. However, the time is not now. Right now, focus on training the soldiers to an adequate level of power," she said with queenly grace, advising Hinata as Hinata reluctantly yielded.

Hinata was stubborn like that; she only obeyed the king and queen, both of whom were her mentors and the only ones who had shown her kindness in this world. As such, she could only comply with Shizue's will.

"We expect all of you to protect our kingdom and the security of our people while we are going to be fighting the war with the soldiers who will be arriving at the border tonight," Karna declared and stood up, with Shizue by his side.

Every executive stood up, placed a hand on their chest where their heart was, and their left hand behind their back as they exclaimed, "Yes, Your Majesties!"

The war that would pave the path to the Great Empire of Anga would begin soon...